Barcelona 3 - Athletic Bilbao 0

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Oleguer, Puyol, Thuram, Gio Van Bronckhorst; Xavi, Edmilson (Sylvinho 82'), Iniesta; Giuly (Saviola 77'), Eto'o (Messi 67'), Ronaldinho. 4-3-3.
Athletic: Aranzubia; Expósito, Sarriegui (Bergara 76'), Amorebieta, Casas; Iraola, Murillo (Aduríz 46'); Javi Martínez, Yeste, Gabilondo; Urzaiz (Llorente 54'). 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barça: Thuram, Gio Van Bronckhorst, Giuly, Eto'o for Zambrotta, Márquez, Deco, Gudjohnsen / Athletic: Javi Martínez for Aduríz.

Goals:
1-0. 23. Amorebieta (own goal). Turned in Giuly's cross under pressure from Eto'o.
2-0. 29. Xavi. Shot wide of Aranzubia after Eto'o played on Ronaldinho's pass.
3-0. 40. Eto'o. Ran on to Ronaldinho pass to strike angled shot past keeper.

Barcelona moved two points clear at the top of the table after a 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao. Samuel Eto'o returned to the starting line up and his appearance revitalized a side who had been faltering recently. The striker had a hand in all three goals, the first coming when Amorebieta turned Giuly's cross into his own net with Eto'o closing in behind. Six minutes later Eto'o turned Ronaldinho's pass into the path of Xavi for him to volley a shot past Aranzubia, and Eto'o himself got the third with a low shot wide of the keeper after Ronaldinho put him through.

If the first half was Eto'o's, the second belonged to Ronaldinho. Accused earlier in the week of being overweight, the Brazilian star was back to his best, in particular with a dazzling run from the left wing which left defenders trailing in his wake before Aranzubia just got a touch on his chip shot to deflect it on to the bar. A few minutes before Iniesta had hit the post and then fired the rebound over the top, and Ronaldinho also struck the crossbar with a free kick as well as forcing two good saves out of the visiting keeper.

With four key games coming up in the next fortnight it was just the result they wanted, although Athletic (who didn't manage a decent shot on goal and who drop back into the bottom three this weekend) were surely easier opposition than Zaragoza, Sevilla, Liverpool and Real Madrid.